Encounter Set Analyses

Players have successfully beaten another scenario. They are maybe celebrating, they are maybe writing the score or success to their personal statistics, or they just take another scenario and shuffle cards again for the new game.

But do the players realize how much effort this costs us? How many enemies we have to send against the players? How many talented and capable enemies are destroyed? How many interesting and beautiful locations are ruthlessly explored? How many treacheries appear for nothing and disappear in a void? YOU, players, have no idea, how big of a sacrifice we must make for each game! However, WE, the servants of Sauron, will never give up! We won’t give you anything for free! YOU will pay for each destroyed enemy, explored location and canceled treachery! FOR SAURON AND A PURIFIED MIDDLE-EARTH!
Mouth of Sauron, TA 2978

Encounter Set Analysis is the whole new and original series. As with Player Card Analysis, it contains an in-depth review of each encounter card from the given encounter set. It’s something different from the Scenario Analysis, where you learn how to deal with the entire scenario, how to beat it effectively and what encounter cards you should watch out. Instead of scenarios, the concrete encounter cards are “heroes” – the whole series is described from the view of the encounter deck. This series, however, shouldn’t be only a funny description on “how to beat the Players deck at best”, but will also teach you how particular cards work in the given scenario and what combination with other encounter cards can be potentially most dangerous.

From Player Card Analysis, I take the “progression style” of playing – it means that I will only refer the cards, which you can encounter in the given time (so if I will analyze Forest Spider from the Passage Through Mirkwood, I won’t point out the player card from The Dead Marshes, for example Boromir. On the other hand, if I will analyze The Necromancer’s Reach from Dol Guldur Orcs, which appears in Passage Through Mirkwood, Journey Along the Anduin, A Journey to Rhosgobel and The Hills of Emyn Muil, it will be legal to mention player cards, which were present in the given scenario. So no !SPOILER! anymore. Well, you will see.:)

From Player Card Analysis I take the final ratings (= here Danger level), which are here represented by the “skull system”.

The weakest encounter cards, with very trivial effect or ability. Players like these cards at most, because they almost don’t harm them. Some of these can also have beneficial effects to the players

Below-average encounter cards, with very limited effect or ability. It may hurt the players, if players are unlucky – depends on the given situation.

The encounter cards, which shouldn’t be ignored, because players then could face unpleasant consequences. They don’t belong to the most dangerous cards, but to the weakest neither.

Players face these encounter cards only if they must, because the effect or ability of these cards can harm them considerably.

Very, very powerful encounter cards. Every player must pay attention to revealing these encounter cards, because they have absolutely devastating ability or effect.

True nightmare of any Player. These encounter cards can cause players to be defeated with just this card. Only the most powerful encounter cards are worthy of this level.

On top of that, in each encounter set I announce these categories:

1. YOUR NIGHTMARE – the worst card for players, which they can encounter within the encounter set. The players should fear this card.

2. GOBLIN CARD – as goblins used to be very weak creatures in any fantasy world, here it represents card, which is welcomed by the players the most because it does the least harm.

3. SHADOW HORROR – the special category for cards with shadow effects. The most brutal shadow effect that players don’t wish to reveal during combat.

Shadows of Mirkwood Cycle Passage through Mirkwood Journey Along the Anduin Escape from Dol Guldur Spiders of Mirkwood Dol Guldur Orcs Sauron’s Reach Wilderlands The Hunt for Gollum Conflict at the Carrock A Journey to Rhosgobel The Hills of Emyn Muil The Dead Marshes Return to Mirkwood	Dwarrowdelf cycle Into the Pit The Seventh Level Flight from Moria Misty Mountains Goblins of the Deep Plundering Goblins Hazards of the Pit Twists and Turns Deeps of Moria The Redhorn Gate Road to Rivendell The Watcher in the Water The Long Dark Foundations of Stone Shadow and Flame
Against the Shadow cycle Peril in Pelargir Into Ithilien The Siege of Cair Andros Brigands Streets of Gondor Brooding Forest Southrons Creatures of the Forest Ravaging Orcs Mordor Elite The Steward’s Fear The Druadan Forest Encounter at Amon Din Assault on Osgiliath The Blood of Gondor The Morgul Vale	Ringmaker cycle The Fords of Isen To Catch an Orc Into Fangorn Dunland Warriors Dunland Raiders Misty Mountain Orcs Broken Lands Ancient Forest Weary Travellers The Dunland Trap The Three Trials Trouble in Tharbad The Nin-in-Eilph Celebrimbor’s Secret The Antlered Crown